Liquid supply and control device



April 18, 1939. W.'A.' FRANTZ ET AL I 4,

LIQUID SUPPLY AND CONTROL DEVICE Filed Aug. 8, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTORS Wan-ER .H. PRflA/T: BY J HN J. M C0345.

April 18, 193 w. A. FRANTi ET AL I LIQUID SUPPLY AND CONTROL DEVICE Filed Au 8, 1953 Sheets-Sheet 2 W mi.

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W ATTOR Patented Apr. 18, 1939 I I a UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE LIQUID SUPPLY AND CONTROL DEVICE Walter A. Frantz, Cleveland Heights; and John J. McCabe, Cleveland, Ohio, assignors .to The Apex Electrical Manufacturing. Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation oi Ohio Application August s, 193:, Serial No. 684,203 g s In Canada January 9, 1933 11 Claimsf (Cl. sa -2o) I'his invention relates to liquid supply and con Figure 5 is a side-elevational view of one of the trol means for laundry machines and the like and elements of the valve shown in Figure 3. it is based in part on the disclosure of our co- Figure 6 is asectional view of a modification of I pending applications for U. S. Letters Patent the device-shown in Figure 3.

-5 Serial No. 614,001, filed May 2'7, 1932, which has Figure 6 is a detail view'of reduced size corre- -5 matured into Patent No. 2,099,163, for Combined sponding to Figure 1 and showing the elements washing and drying machine, and Serial No. of the machine in position for rinsing the clothes.

656,404, filed February 11, 1932, which has ma- Figure 7 is a sectional view taken through the tured into Patent No. 2,087,571, for Laundry mavalve and nozzle axis of a modified form of spinchine, and. the present application constitutes a rinse device. l0 continuation-in-part of such copending applica- Figure 8 is an enlarged detail view partly in tions. section of a modified .form of removable valve One of the objects of this invention isto procover adaptedior use in connection with the vide in a machine of the type disclosed, novel device shown in Figure '7.

means for rinsing disinfecting and sterilizing the Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken 1 clothes after the washing operation has been perthrough the axis of a valve member of amodified formed. form of spin-rinse device. I

Another object of this invention is to provide in Figure 10 i n n r ed section l view taken a machine of the type disclosed, an improved through the axis of the valve and nozzle of a furmeans for handling the liquids used in effecting e modification 0f t p -r se d e- 9 the washing and rinsing operations. 3 Figure 11 is a plan view of the device shown Another object of this invention is to provide 1 in F ure and Fi 2 is a side elevational view a machine of the type described, a combined valve of the machine with the Spin-rinse device in the and strainer through which water may be supsame position as shown in Figure 6 2 plied to the tubs of the machine. Referring to the washing machine illustrated in 24? Another object of this invention is to provide a gure 1, the numeral l indicates a washer tub self-contained multi-chamber washer, having waw h is p v d for t pu p s of ff t ter supply control and directing me ns d protherein the washing of clothes and other articles. visions for connecting the machine to a source de e W he tub. the e s positioned an exof hot and cold water supply and to a drain. tractor tub 2, in wh h a r nt qu d is ep 30 A further object of this invention relates to the rated om e t e after y ave bee provision of a liquid supply lin for laundry washed Or -rinsed. The tubs I and 2 are preferchines and the like having means for selectively y formed from Steel stampings and finished supplying measured quantities of different chem- With a coating of Vitreous enamelical materials to the liquid. The washing operation is effected by means of v 35 w t these and other obj cts in View, a vanedoscillatable dasher or agitator 3, which vention consists in the novel construction, arextends upwardly from the bottom of the Washer rangement and combination of parts, hereinafter tub F which is mounfied for movement about illustrated and described in someof its embodi a Vertlcal axis- The agltator is driven by a 40 ments in the accompanying drawings and par? motor (not shown), which is supported-beneath .40

ticularly pointed out in the appended claims. the \washmg cpmpartment and connected in In the drawings: 1 driving relation to the agitator 3, through suit- Figure 1 is a, fragmentary plan view of a wash- :3 f' g g i gg in our earlier referred ing machine employing and illustrating one mode one g pp of utilizing the improved liquid supply and congf f iz g g i g gi g z i g i g g gg 46 trol means to which this invention is directed. and swings through an arc of Substantially one Figure 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view 1 v taken on line 2H2, Figure L hundred and eighty degrees during its operation.

A perforated extractor basket 4, is mounted for rotation in the extractor tub 2, and it is driven 50 by the motor, through suitable mechanism 5 combined rinse water supply valve, strainer and which is-housed and Supported beneath the chem al pp y d tractor tub. The extractor tub- 2, and the washer F ure 4 s a s t a view taken n l ne 4- tub I, are secured in. place between a stamped 50 Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken.

on line 3-3, Figure 1, showing the details of the Figure 3. metal base member 6, and a die-cast apertured bo metal top plate 1. Supporting legs 6 having casters 6* are attached to the base member 6.

A water supply hose 8, may connect the machine with hot and cold water supply lines. The top plate 1, supports a. combined valve, strainer and spray nozzle structure 40. The valve and spray nozzle are arranged so that the water supplied by the hose 8, may be controlled and directed into either the washing container I, or the extractor basket 4.

The machine is provided with a pump II, the outlet of which is connected to a drain hose l2, that terminates in a gooseneck l3. The gooseneck is connected to the hose by a swivel coupling l4, and is provided for the purpose of holding the hose in position to discharge into the washer tub or elsewhere as desired. The extractor tub 2, is directly connected to the pump inlet and is continually drained by the pump during the operation of the machine. The draining of the washer tub 2, is under control of a valve l having an operating handle l6. The valve l5 has its inlet port connected to a drain opening of the washer tub and its outlet port is connected to the inlet of the pump II by means of a hose connection l5.

The top plate 1, is provided with openings l1 and i8, which register with the washer and extractor tubs, respectively. A removable cover (not shown) is provided for the tub opening l1. A cover 28, is pivotally supported in the top plate 1 on a horizontal axis adjacent to the opening 38. The opening and closing of the cover 28 stops and starts the rotation of the extractor basket 5. This control of the extractor basket is accomplished'by means of a cam 2|, which is integrally brake is automatically released, and the extractor basket is connected in driven relation with its driving mechanism.

The water and clothes contained in the washer tub are given a vortex movement by the to and fro rotation of the agitator 3, and in this manner the clothes are quickly and effectively washed.

The top plate 1 is formed with an opening 22, for receiving the gooseneck [3, of the drain hose. As best shown in Figure 2, this hole terminates in a curved lip 23, which acts as a sort of a guard or trap to prevent water escaping from the tub when the agitator is working and when the gooseneck is not in the hole. cates with the interior of the tub I at its upper part.

The water supply conduit 8 is connected by means of a coupling 24, to the portion of the L-shaped fitting 26, which extends from the side of the machine. The fitting 26 is connected at its opposite end to the top plate 1 of the machine, by means of a lock nut 26, which engages with the threaded end portion of the fitting, whereby to secure it in place on the top plate 1. The lock nut 26 also serves to hold a sleeve 21 in position in the fitting 25.

The sleeve 21 is of tapered construction and has a pair of spaced ports or openings 28 and 30, for communication with the fitting 25. A hollow tapered valve plug 3i is journaled in the The hole 28 communimember 21. The plug has a port 32, which can be brought into registry with either of the ports of the member 21, and thus provide for fluid flow through the valve. The plug 3| is held in sealing relation with the member 21, by means of a nut 33 and washer 34, which are secured to'the threaded end portion 36 of the plug.

An integrally formed nozzle 36 and operating 'handle 31 are fixedly secured to the plug member 3i by means of a threaded rod 38 and a cooperating wing nut 48. The rod 38 is in threaded engagement with the lower end of the plug 3|, while the wing nut 48 engages the upper threaded end of such rod. A glass cover 4| is interposed between the wing nut 48 and the inlet end of the nozzle. A filter or screen 42 is held in place by the cover 4| over the inlet opening of the nozzle 36, for the purpose of preventing solid particles of dirt and foreign material from passing through the nozzle and staining the clothes. The screen 42 also serves to hold the water soluble pellets 43, which are formed from a suitable disinfecting material, and which are used to sterilize the clothes in the extractor basket. The nozzle, valve, and associated elements may for convenience be termed a spin-rinse device by reason of the fact that they may be used to rinse the clothes during the spinning or extracting operation of the extractor-container.

In Figures 1, 3, and 6, the valve parts are shown in the position they occupy when water is being discharged into the washer tub. When the handle is rotated so as to bring the nozzle over the opening of the extractor-basket, the valve plug port 32 registers with the small port 28 of the sleeve 21, and a limited flow of water is discharged into the extractor tub for the purpose of rinsing and sterilizing the clothes contained therein, during the rotation of the extractor basket. When the cover 28 is in its closed position, as shown in Figures 6a and 12, the underside of the cover is spaced above the top plate 1 a sufiicient distance to permit the nozzle 36 to be freely moved beneath the same by way of the opening between the top plate and the up-turned edge of the cover which is nearest to the nozzle when the cover is in its closed position.

The amount 01' water discharged into the extractor durlng the spin-rinsing operation is limited by the size of the valve port 28, so as to be slightly less than the maximum flow, the pump ii is able to handle. In directing the nozzle 36 to either 01' the compartments of the machine, the port 32 is brought into registry with one or the other of the ports 28 or 30. When the end of the nozzle overlies the portion of the top plate 1, which separates its opening l1 and I8, the valve ports are in a closed position and no water flows through the nozzle 36.

The ports 28 and 30, as is best shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, are arranged to supply water to the washer and extractor tubs at different and predetermined rates of flow in accordance with the operations performed in such tubs. By referring to the drawings, it will be seen that water is supplied to the washer tub by way of the relatively large valve port 30 and water is supplied to the extractor tub by way of the relatively small valve port 28. Water is supplied to the washer tub largelyfor the purpose of filling the same and replenishing the contents thereof and the relatively large port 30 is provided in the valve so that these operations may be performed as quickly as possible. The capaci of the pump and the rate at which water will flow through a batch of clothes in the extfactor'basket, make it advisable to restrict the flow of water during the rinsing operation and this result is accomplished by the use of a valve port 28 which is considerably smaller than the port 30.

The nozzle 36 is provided at its outer end with a downwardly directed slotted discharge outlet 44 which extends through the end wall of the nozzle ure 3 the valve'passageways 4'| communicate with a'chamber above the screen 42 as in the form of the device shown in Figure 6. In the case of the device shown in Figure 3, however, the cover 4| is replacedby a compartmental container 48 for the reception of materials to be supplied to the water discharged from the nozzle as for example blui'ng crystals 50 and crystals 5| of a water softening compound. x

The container 48 is threaded onto the end of the rod 38 in the same manner as is the wing nut 40 and it serves to clamp a short cylindrical sleeve 52 against thescreen 42 to removably secure the screen in place. 'Predetermined and measured quantities of the crystals in the container may be fed into the chamber above the screen 42 by means ofthe valves 53 and 54 which have operatingplunger handles 55 and 56 projecting above thetop of the container 48. The discharging of measured quantities of crystals from the container 48 is made possible by reason of the peculiar configuration of the valves 53and 54 which have annular recesses intermediate their ends so that when the valve is quickly depressed the amount of material equal'to the quantity of material in such recesses will-be discharged into the chamber above the screen 42;

By reason of the arrangement just described, when the nozle 36 is discharging into the washer tub, water softening materials can be added to the wash tub water by depressing the plunger handle 56 and when the nozzle is discharging into the extractor basket, bluing materials can be added to the rinse water by simply depressing the plunger handle 55.

The spin-rinse device just described makes it possible to perform all of the customary washing and rinsing operations on the clothes without removing the clothes from the machine. In addition to these advantages, the spin-rinse device permits the use of scalding hot water and disinfectants to sterilize the clothes.

In the modified forms of spin-rinse devices shown in Figures '7 to 11 inclusive, like numerals refer to like parts of the devices earlier described. These modifications relate in general to modifications of the strainer and the means provided for its securement, as well as the construction of the valve member, nozzle and handle as illustrated in the device shown in Figure 10;

Referring now to the modified form of device shown in Figure 7, the rod 38 is replaced by a screw 38 which is threadedly engaged in the lower part of the valve plug 3 i as in the form of device earlierdescribed. The head-of the screw 38 is received in and engages with an apertured the device.

spider 6| which bridges the passageway 60 formed in the upper part of the casting whichforms the handle and nozzle'of the device.

The passageway 60 communicates with the passageway formed in the nozzle 36 and interposed between these passageways there is provided a filter screen 62 which supports an annular filter 63 which may be in the form of a loosely interlaced fibrous material. The filter thus formed is removably held in place in the device by means of a quickly detachable cap 64 having grooved or channeled portions which receive andengage with the ends of the pins or screws 55 of the handle and nozzle part of the device. A packing ring 66 prevents the escape of water at this point,

In the form of the device shown in Figure 8 the strainer is held in place in a similar manner. The cap, however, is in the form of an annular metal ring 68 having an'inturned upper edge which engages the outer edge of a glass cap 10 and beneath which there is provided a suitable packing washer I I. This form of cap is secured to the device by the pins or screws 65 in the same manner as for the cap used in connection with the device shown in Figure 7.

In the form of the device shown in Figure 9 a glass cap 12 is provided for holding the filter in place. This filter is of slightly difierent form in that the screen has an upraised part I3 which extends across the passageway 50. The handle 74 of the device is pivoted at 75 to. the discharge nozzle so that it may be moved between the full line and dotted line positions shown in Figure 9. A ring 16 formed in the handle defines an annular opening for the reception of the glass cover 12.

Opposite to the pivot 15 there is provided a latch member I! which is pivoted to the handle at 18 and which has a catch which engages the lower marginal edge of the casting forming the nozzle part of the device. The latch is held in its engaged position by means of a spring M. A.

suitable packing washer 82 is provided to prevent the escape of liquid from around the edge of the cap 12.

In the form of the device shown in Figure 10 a valve plug 3P having a port 3'4. is integrally formed with the handle and discharge nozzle of By reason of this arrangement the holding rod 38 or screw 38 may be dispensed with as the valve parts are held together by means of the nut 33 which engages the threaded end part 35 of the valve plug. A screen 83 is fitted over the top end of the passageway formed in the valve plug part 31 A glass cover 84 having a packing washer 85 is fixedly secured to the device by means of a split metal washer 86 which is spun over the lower edge part of the cap.

In this form of the device several of the parts are eliminated and a generally simplified device 4 may be provided if cost becomes a factor of sufficient importance to offset the features of accessibility and facility for cleaning as'iliustratd in some of the other forms of the invention.

Furthermore it is to be understood that the particular forms of apparatus shown and described. and the particular procedure set forth are presented for purposes of explanation and that, various modifications of said apparatus and procedure can be made without departure from this invention as described in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention what we claim is: v

1. In a laundry machine, a casing, a centrifugal extractor in said casing having a working opening in the top thereof, a substantially imperforate cover for said extractor pivoted to said casing for movement over and away from the working opening of said extractor, means pivotally carried at the top of said machine and movable to and from a position beneath said cover for directing a flow of rinse water into the working opening of said extractor during its operation and when its cover is in a closed position, and a conduit for connecting said means to a source of water supply.

.2. In a laundry machine, casing walls defining a laundry compartment, a removable cover therefor, and water supply means comprising a valve and a nozzle supported by the machine for pivotal movement about a vertical axis above the top of the compartment and movable to a position beneath said cover when in its closed position for controlling and directing a supply of water into said compartment and a handle for manipulating said nozzle and controlling said valve.

3. In a valve structure, a ported casing, an operating member cooperating therewith for controlling fluid flow through a port. of said casing, said member having a discharge nozzle fixed for movement therewith, and a valve controlled container carried by said member for supplying materials to the interior of the: valve structure where they are mixed with the fluid prior to its being discharged from the nozzle.

4. In a valve structure, a ported casing, an operating member cooperating therewith for controlling fluid flow through a port of said casing, said member having a discharge nozzle fixed for movement therewith, and a valve controlled con- 9 tamer carried by said member including means for supplying measure quantities of a material to the interior of the valve structure where it is mixed with the fluid prior to its discharge from the nozzle.

5. In a valve structure, a ported casing, an operating member cooperating therewith for controlling fluid through a port of said casing, said member having a fluid passageway and a discharge nozzle communicating therewith and fixed for movement with the member, a screen interposed in the fluid passageway, and a valve controlled container fastened to said member for introducing materials into the passageway ahead of said screen for retaining the same in contact with the fluid prior to its discharge from the nozzle.

6. In a valve, a ported valve casing, a hollow valve member movable therein and having a port cooperating with a port of said casing for controlling fluid flow through the valve casing and the valve member, a laterally extending discharge nozzle communicating with said valve member and defining therewith the outlet passageway of the valve, an operating handle above said valve casing, said nozzle and handle being fixed for movement with said valve member, a removable cap carried by the valve for closing an Opening communicating with such passageway intermediate the ends thereof, and a removable filter engaged by and held in place by said cap across the outlet passageway for filtering the fluid passing therethrough.

7. In a valve, a ported valve casing, a hollow valve member movable therein and having a port cooperating with a port in said casing for controlling fluid flow through the valve, a laterally extending discharge nozzle fixed to and communicating with the interior of said valve member and defining therewith a discharge outlet passageway for the valve, an operating handle for said valve member, a cap hinged to the valve and providing a closure for an opening intermediate the ends of said passageway, said cap being mounted for movement independently of the rest of the valve structure, and a removable filter across the outlet passageway for filtering fluid passing therethrough, said filter being enaged by and held in place by said cap when in its closed position.

8. In a valve structure, a fluid supply conduit, a hollow ported member in one end of said fluid supply conduit, a hollow movable member controlling a port in said ported member whereby communication is effected between such port and the interior of the hollow movable member, said hollow member defining in part at least a discharge passageway for the valve structure, means for joining said members together for relative movement, a removable cover on the valve structure for closing an opening in said movable member, and filter means across the 'discharge passageway engaged by and held in place by said cover when in its closed position.

9. In a laundry machine, a casing having a working opening in the top thereof, a rotatable container therein having its side walls closely adjacent to the corresponding casing walls, and water supply and control means comprising a nozzle mounted for pivotal movement over the top of the casing and having discharge provisions, said nozzle being pivotally adjustable to a position for directing water from said discharge provisions into said container and into the space between the walls of said container and casing by way of the working opening at the top of the casing for rinsing articles in the container and for flushing away soap suds from between said container and casing, means for manipulating said nozzle and means for controlling the flow of water therefrom.

10. In a laundry machine, casing means defining a pair of laundry compartments located side-by-side, laundering means in the compartments of said casing means, a displaceable cover for one of the compartments of said casing means adapted in its closed position to provide an opening between the top of the casing means and the cover at one edge of the cover, a nozzle pivotally supported for movement about a vertical axis at the top of the machine and beneath said cover by way of the opening at the edge of the cover and arranged for selectively directing water into one or the other of the compartments of said casing means during the operation of said laundering means and irrespective of the position of said cover, and means for connecting said nozzle to a source of water supply.

11. In a laundry machine, casing walls defining a laundry compartment, a removable cover therefor, and water supply means comprising a valve and a nozzle supported by the machine for movement with respect to the top of the compartment and movable to a position beneath said cover when in its closed position for controlling and directing a supply of water into said compartment, and manually operable means for controlling said nozzle and valve.

WALTER A. FRANTZ. JOHN J. MCCABE. 

